Color in
Landscaping
By C. Kohn
Agricultural Sciences
Waterford WI
Color
 Color
is the difference in the visual appearance
of objects due to how they reflect light into a
person’s eyes.

Different objects appear to have different colors
because of the wavelengths of the light they reflect.
 In
order to be seen, an object must reflect
visible light.



Light is actually one of many kinds of
electromagnetic radiation.
Radiation is any kind of moving energy.
There are many kinds of electromagnetic radiation,
ranging from visible light to AM and FM radios waves,
to X-rays and microwaves.
Electromagnetic Radiation

Electromagnetic radiation consists of two properties – the
size of the wavelengths and intensity.

The wavelength of radiation (or frequency) is a measure of
how are apart the peak of each wave of energy is from the
peak o the next wave.

The human eye can detect electromagnetic radiation whose
waves are 390-700 nanometers apart.
 A nanometer is one billionth of a meter.
Source: http://www.columbia.edu/~vjd1/electromag_spectrum.gif
Electromagnetic Intensity
 Electromagnetic
intensity is a measure
of how much radiation is being emitted
from a source.
 For
example, a 100 watt incandescent light
bulb and a 100 watt black light will each
emit the same intensity of light.
 However, the 100 watt incandescent bulb
will appear brighter because it is detectable
by our eyes (even though both bulbs are
emitting the same intensity of radiation).
Radiation & Color
 Color
is detectable by our eyes because we
have specialized nerves in our eyes called
cones.
 Cones
detect light within specific wavelength
ranges.
 Most
people have three kinds of cones.
 Blue
cones have maximum stimulation by light
with a wavelength of 420 nm, Green cones by
light with 530 nm, and Red cones by light with a
wavelength of 560 nm.
 The color of an object depends on the size of
the wavelength it reflects back into the viewer’s
eyes.
 The
three kinds of cones in our eyes are each
stimulated by different wavelengths of light.
Source: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/colcon.html#c1
Beyond blue, green, and red.
 We
obviously see more than just blue, green,
and red colors.
 The
wide range of colors that people can
detect is a result of which cones are stimulated,
and to what extent they are stimulated.
 For example, the
color yellow is
created when
both green and
red cones are
stimulated to
almost an equal
extent.
Source: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/colcon.html#c1
Undetectable Colors
 When
the wavelength of electromagnetic
radiation is greater than 700 nm or less than
390 nm, our eyes are unable to detect this
radiation.
 That
radiation is still occurring, but our eyes are
not able to detect it.
 This is similar to a dog whistle – we cannot hear
this whistle when it is blowing, but sound is still
being produced (as evidenced by the fact that
a dog can hear it).
 Similarly, if we play the lowest key on a piano,
we can hear it but a dog cannot.
Color, Summarized
 Color
is the result of the different kinds of
cones in our eyes becoming stimulated in
varying ways by a very specific and narrow
band of radiation, resulting in our brain
“painting” what we see so as to create the
sensation that each of these objects has a
different appearance.
 In
reality, it is our brains that create the color of
an object (not the object itself) based on the
wavelength of light it reflects.
 Things that appear “blue” to us do so because
the light reflected from that object stimulated
more of our blue cones than our red and green
cones.
Properties of Color

Color has multiple properties, including…



Hue – this is the actual color (e.g. green, blue, red, yellow,
etc.).
Value – this is how light or dark the color is (e.g. dark green
or light red). Value can have shade or tint.
 Shade is a hue that has been darkened; e.g. Navy is a
shade of blue.
 Tint is a hue that has been lightened; e.g. pink is a tint of
red.
 Tone is created by the addition of gray to create a
“dusty appearance”; e.g. country blue is a tone of blue.
Intensity – intensity is how ‘strong’ the color appears to us.
 E.g. if gray has been added to a color, it will appear
muted and duller than if that hue exists in its purest form
(such as ‘fire engine red’).
Originally found at http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm#complementary
Hue
Hue
is the descriptive name of the
color (e.g. what you see as the name
on the side of the crayon).
 Hues
are organized
by using a color
wheel, which
consists of
twelve hues.
Source: http://cios233.community.uaf.edu/files/2011/10/color_wheel.gif
Color Wheels
The
primary colors on a color wheel
are red, yellow, and blue.
 These
colors are spaced
equidistantly on the
color wheel.
 In design, they
cannot be
created by
mixing any
other colors.
Source: http://cios233.community.uaf.edu/files/2011/10/color_wheel.gif
Color Wheels
The
secondary colors on a color
wheel are orange, green, and violet.
 These
colors are also spaced
equidistantly on the
color wheel.
 These colors are
created by
mixing two
primary colors.
Source: http://cios233.community.uaf.edu/files/2011/10/color_wheel.gif
Color Wheels
 The
tertiary colors on a color wheel are
the colors created by mixing a primary
and a secondary color.
 These
colors are
hyphenated and
the primary color
is always listed
first.
 E.g. Red-orange
and blue-green
are examples of
tertiary colors.
Source: http://cios233.community.uaf.edu/files/2011/10/color_wheel.gif
Color wheel categories
 The
color wheel can be broken into two
kinds of categories.
 Advancing/Warm
Colors
are those between
red-violet and
yellow.
 Receding/Cool
Colors are those
between yellowgreen and violet.
Source: http://operationwritehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/warm-and-cool.jpg
Warm Colors
 Advancing/Warm
colors appear
to move toward the viewer.





A viewer’s brain will associate these
colors with warmth, aggression, or
excitement.
They can also seem cheerful or
happy.
They tend to create a more informal
look for a landscape.
Warm colors tend to make an
object look larger.
If overused, warm colors can evoke
a sense of irritation.
Source: http://www.beautyhows.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/How-to-Choose-Eyeshadow-Colors-%E2%80%93-Warm-and-Cool-Colors.jpg
Warm Colors
 Receding/Cool
colors appear
to move toward the viewer.
A
viewer’s brain will associate
these colors with a sense of
passive coolness.
 They can also seem restful,
peaceful, soothing, and
sometimes even melancholy and
depressing if overdone.
 Cool colors tend to make an
object look smaller.
 They tend to create a more
formal look for a landscape.
Source: http://www.beautyhows.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/How-to-Choose-Eyeshadow-Colors-%E2%80%93-Warm-and-Cool-Colors.jpg
Warm Color Scheme
Source: http://ebepp.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/small-backyard-landscaping-165.jpg
Cool Color Scheme
Source: http://procutlandscaping.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/landscape-design-rockland-county.jpg
Harmony of Color
A
color wheel can be used to determine
which colors can be grouped together
to create a sense of unity and harmony.
 Colors
that harmonize with each other do
not “clash”.
 Imagine a well-selected clothing outfit – if
you would wear a combination of colors,
those are probably colors that harmonize
with each other.
 Clothing that appears gaudy to a viewer
may likely consist of colors that do not
harmonize with each other or with the
person’s skin tone or hair color.
Color Harmony Groupings
There
are multiple kinds of color
harmonies:
Achromatic
Color Harmony consists
of grouping neutral colors without any
hues.
 This
would include black,
gray, white, and any colors
that do not appear on the
color wheel.
Source: http://myworldofcolour.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/all_harmonies-021.jpg
Monochromatic Color
 Monochromatic
color harmony consists
of grouping different values of one hue.
 For
example, if a color
scheme consisted of
pink, mauve, red,
burgundy, black,
white, and gray.
 Monochromatic
color harmony evokes
a sense of formality
and professionalism.
Source: http://taylors2ddagnes.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/how-to-choose-eyeshadow-colors-e28093-monochromatic-colors.gif
Monochromatic Color Harmony
 This
landscape consists primarily of
values of green hue and neutral colors.
Source: http://www.caes.uga.edu/applications/publications/files/html/B1396/images/Figure%206.JPG
Analogous Color
 Analogous
color harmony is created when
adjacent hues on the color wheel are used.
 Analogous
color harmony involves only one
primary color which dominates the selection.
 Analogous color creates a sense of serenity and
comfort.
 Analogous color schemes
require a strong level of
contrast and need a third
achromatic color (black,
white, or gray) to accent
the selection.
Source: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm#complementary
Analogous Color
The
colors used in the flowers are all
red, pink, or red-violet.
Source: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PfFpZ6f4bTc/Tar5abRUbJI/AAAAAAAAAE0/Rh5gyAbbhJw/s1600/curb-appeal-1.jpg
Complementary Color
 Complementary
Color Harmony is
created when hues are used that are
opposite from each other on the color
wheel.
 This
could include blue and orange, purple
and yellow, or red and green.
 Complementary colors
create a sense of vibrancy
and enthusiasm (which is
why they are so often used
as collegiate colors and for
pro-sports teams).
Source: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm#complementary
Complementary Color Harmony
This
landscape is dominated by
yellow and purple hues.
Source: http://www.simplebynaturelandscape.com/wp-content/gallery/residential-landscape-design/flower-landscape-design.jpg
Split-Complementary Color

Split-Complementary Color Harmony consists of a hue
and the two hues on either side of the hue opposite this
first hue.


For example, red would be paired with yellow-green and
blue green.
This harmony creates a strong sense of visual contrast,
allowing the colors to stand out.
 However, this does not create the same sense of
‘tension’ as the standard
complementary color harmony.
 This makes it ideal for situations in
which a business needs to stand
out but appear professional, such
as a restaurant.
 Split-complementary is a good
beginner’s choice because it is
difficult to get wrong.
Source: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm#complementary
Split-Complementary Color
This
landscape is dominated by red,
yellow-green, and blue-green values.
Source: cordinglandscape.com
Triadic Color
 Triadic
color harmony consists of group
three hues that are equidistant from
each other on the color wheel.
 This
could be as simple as red, blue, and
yellow or more complicated, such as yelloworange, red-violet, and
blue-green.
 Triadic color harmonies
also create a sense of
vibrancy even if pale or
unsaturated colors are
used.
Source: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm#complementary
Triadic Color Harmony
Source: http://www.pwconsole.com/content/images/complimentary%20orange%20and%20blue.jpg
Square Color Harmony
 Square
color harmony consists of four
colors, all equidistant from each other
on the color wheel.
 For
this scheme to work,
one color must be
dominant over the
other three.
 Close attention must
be used when
balancing warm and
cool colors.
Source: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm#complementary
Rectangular Color Harmony
 Rectangular
color harmony consists of four
colors separated by two different distances (e.g.
two sets of hues each one color apart separated
from the other set by three colors).



This scheme requires more
skill and works best if one
color is dominant
over the other three.
The balance between
warm and cool colors
must be kept in
consideration.
This scheme offers
possibility for wide
variation.
Source: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm#complementary
Rectangular Color Harmony
This
landscape is dominated by
yellow, green, red, and violet.
Source: http://qualitylandscapedesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Front-Yard-Landscape-Designs.jpg